Musa Salih guilty of murdering Harley Purdue in Chatham

A jury at Maidstone Crown Court found Musa Salih, 19, guilty of murder on Thursday, 15 October 2026. Salih, who lives in Launceston Road, Greenford, Ealing, had denied the charge. He stabbed Harley Purdue, 19, eight times at an address in Thorold Road, Chatham, around 3am on 2 December 2025.

Planned robbery led to fatal stabbing

The court heard that Salih had lured Mr Purdue to the communal basement of the building with the intention of locking him in a toilet and stealing money from his bedroom. An altercation ensued when Salih attempted to trap Mr Purdue in the toilet. During this struggle, Salih inflicted eight stab wounds on the teenager.

Mr Purdue's girlfriend intervened during the incident. Salih then attempted to injure her before fleeing the property and the Medway area. He was apprehended later the same day in Lewisham.

Detective Sergeant Alastair Worton stated that Salih's plan to steal Mr Purdue's money in the early hours, while armed with a knife, resulted in the death of a young man. He added that the swift response to locate Salih in London, followed by a thorough investigation, led to the jury's conviction. "Our thoughts remain with Harley’s loved ones, whose strength and dignity throughout our investigation and the court proceedings has been commendable," DS Worton said. "I hope today’s verdict brings them some sense that justice has been done."

A review of Salih's phone revealed he had sought legal advice and updates on the incident from an AI application. Salih is due to be sentenced at Maidstone Crown Court on Wednesday, 4 November.